2010 Census-Will You Comply?

Friends, below is a question from a friend of mine who immigrated to the United States from Communist Romania.  I have received my 2010 Census.  My husband suggests throwing it in the fire.  I like his idea  a lot.  I have another idea after reading it carefully.  OK, so here's a way out of the Census if you don't want to fill it out, since "your response is required by law."  You are asked how many people are living in your home on April 1, 2010.  Technically it's not April 1st yet so truthfully the answer is zero. I don't know if I'll even be alive at the end of this day.  Following is my friends question and then excerpts from the Constitution, information from the Census 2010 web site, and my views on this whole thing.  I realize this is a lot, but the very last piece is quite intriguing.  Food for thought. 

Now, if they were simply asking how many people lived in our home and possibly the ethnicity, I personally would not have a problem with that.  The fact that they go beyond that is where I have the problem.  The majority of Americans will receive the short form asking only these simple questions.  However, they will also ask if you own, rent or are paying a mortgage for your home.  This is one that I feel is not necessary.  They do not need to know our phone number.  They do not need to know our exact date of birth.  They can find that through the public records if they really need to know it.  I also understand that by filling the form out it is determined how many representatives we will be assigned and elected officials, etc.  This is important.  So, by not filing out the form we could be hurting ourselves.   There also seems to be an awful lot of assistance going to special groups and no mention at all of the rest of us.  So, the whole equal opportunity seems to have shifted in the other direction.  I know I will get a lot of flack for saying this, but...the weights seem to be a little tilted in one direction.  Where is the inspiration and drive to work hard and provide for yourself?  Our society seems to be such a leach-like, welfare society.  Anyhow, back to the census.  Following is some information that I found please take the time to review and give me your feedback.  

Hey Ann,
What do you know about the CENSUS?  The letter that comes from the govt. states that it is required by law.  If this is true, what law says that we MUST complete this govt form?  If you don't know can you asks other what they know, please?  Thank you!-From my Romanian friend who immigrated to the U.S.

This taken from USConstitution.net

“(Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.) (The previous sentence in parentheses was modified by the 14th Amendment, section 2.) The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five and Georgia three.

Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. Note History

1.      All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

From the 2010Census.gov

“Enshrining this invention in our Constitution marked a turning point in world history. Previously censuses had been used mainly to tax or confiscate property or to conscript youth into military service. The genius of the Founders was taking a tool of government and making it a tool of political empowerment for the governed over their government.

They accomplished that goal in 1790 and our country has every 10 years since then. And we’re about to continue that tradition in 2010. In 1954, Congress codified earlier census acts and all other statutes authorizing the decennial census as Title 13, U.S. Code. Title 13, U.S. Code, does not specify which subjects or questions are to be included in the decennial census. However, it does require the Census Bureau to notify Congress of general census subjects to be addressed 3 years before the decennial census and the actual questions to be asked 2 years before the decennial census.  Questions beyond a simple count are Constitutional

It is constitutional to include questions in the decennial census beyond those concerning a simple count of the number of people. On numerous occasions, the courts have said the Constitution gives Congress the authority to collect statistics in the census.”

The Census states that our information is protected:

Meeting Federal Needs This is taken from the “Long Form”  2010 Census:

Communities use census data about marital status to pinpoint areas with large numbers of single-parent families and identify needs for childcare, medical care, and other social services.

Employment

Community organizations use data

about marital status to identify needs for

job training and housing for displaced homemakers.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

BUSINESS

Daycare centers and other businesses

use these data to develop new products

and services for their communities.

GOVERNMENT

State and local governments, faith based

and other nonprofit organizations,

and businesses use these data to plan, budget, and pay benefits.

MEETING FEDERAL NEEDS

These decennial census subjects provide essential data for setting and evaluating immigration policies and laws. Knowing the characteristics of immigrants helps legislators and others understand how different immigrant groups are assimilated. Federal agencies require these data to develop programs for refugees and other foreign born. Vital information on lifetime migration among states also comes from the place of birth question.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Education

Data are used to allocate funds to public

and private nonprofit organizations to

provide employment resources aimed at

making the foreign born economically self-sufficient.